A common problem that interferes with the enjoyment of the use of a patio umbrella is the lack of illumination under the patio umbrella canopy after dark. During daytime hours, patio or market umbrellas are a great way to create shade and atmosphere either in your own backyard, or on a restaurant patio. Evening relaxation, however, may pose an irritating problem. Even though the surrounding area may be well lit, the fabric or material of the umbrella casts a shadow below.
Various attempts have been made in the past to address the problem of lack of illumination under patio umbrellas.
Patio candles have been used to illuminate the underside of umbrellas in the dark by resting the candles on the patio tables. While these candles do provide a soft glow at night, they pose a safety hazard for use near small children. They also attract various insects, and require the constant attention of the patio table user to ensure that the flame is under control and that the wick is not burnt out.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,535 (Vest) teaches a tubular light that is secured around an umbrella pole. In order to open and close the umbrella, repeated removal and installation of the fixture is required. The fixture must then be stored in a safe place to avoid breakage. Since the tubular light takes the shape of the post, illumination is projected outward, not downward onto the tabletop where users would require the benefit of illumination. In addition, such outward illumination is not conducive to the individual enjoyment of a patio table, as having a light shining directly onto one's eyes would detract from the benefits of outdoor patio entertaining.
A major drawback of current lighting products is that they are not suitable to be used with non-standard umbrella poles. U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,564 (Phyle) teaches a system of elongated lights fastened to the ribs of an umbrella. The apparatus is only suitable for umbrellas with eight ribs, while the most popular umbrellas on the market have six. The use of this product is limited to only one specific application in which umbrellas have only eight ribs. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,080,925 (Rushing) teaches a plurality of miniature lights around the pole top of an umbrella. Though it may not obstruct any moving parts, the apparatus is only suitable for umbrellas with a specific number of ribs, namely umbrellas with six or eight ribs. U.S. Pat. No. 7,125,133 (Bilotti) teaches a system of elongated lights fastened to the ribs of an umbrella. The Bilotti apparatus relies on the support ribs of the umbrella to fasten the elongated lights. As umbrella and patio designs are constantly changing, the use of such lighting means taught by Phyte, Bilotti, and Rushing are not sufficiently flexible to meet the changing design needs.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,616 (Bilotti) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,851,823 (Billotti) disclose a battery powered lighting globe that is clipped to the side of an umbrella pole. In order to open and close the umbrella, removal and installation of the globe is required. The positioning of the globe results in light being obstructed through to the opposite side of the umbrella, thereby distributing light unevenly beneath the umbrella canopy.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,063,433 (Pape) discloses a convex dome secured around the pole of an umbrella. Just as with Bilotti above, in order to open and close the umbrella, removal of and installation of the lighting fixture is required.
There is a need for a lighting apparatus that will provide even light distribution underneath the canopy of an umbrella while providing ease of use that does not require the user to continuously assemble and disassemble the apparatus in conjunction with the opening and closing of the umbrella.